Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson has questioned the Premier League’s decision to play their last round of matches on a Sunday.

Ferguson finds himself in the unenviable position of needing to rest all his key players ahead of next Wednesday’s Champions League final against Barcelona, while also fielding a team strong enough to do Manchester United justice at Hull on Sunday.

With the futures of north-east trio Middlesbrough, Newcastle and Sunderland all directly affected by the outcome of United’s visit to the KC Stadium, Ferguson knows his team selection will be heavily scrutinised.

However, the Scot cannot see why this weekend’s games could not have been scheduled for a Saturday to allow an extra day’s preparation time.

"Barcelona are playing on Saturday night yet we have a full programme on Sunday when there is only one play-off game on the Saturday," said Ferguson.

"England have had a team in the Champions League final for the last five years now, so it is not as though the Premier League were short of knowledge.

"They could easily have put the whole programme to a Saturday. That might have made the situation a bit easier.

"I still would not have played my strongest team of course but there may have been one or two who had played."